Weird Al (Daniel Radcliffe) is rushed to the emergency room where a doctor (Lin-Manuel Miranda) desperately tries to save his life. No, he is dead. Just as the doctor gives up, Weird Al bolts upright and demands a paper and a number 2 pencil; he needs to write down the lyrics to Like a Surgeon.
Years before, Weird Al has a difficult relationship with his father. That Al wants to play the accordion is unacceptable. However, Al's mother assists his dream of playing the accordion. After leaving home and living with several friends, Al has inspiration making bolonga sandwiches while the Knack's My Sharona is playing on the radio. He sends My Bologna to Doctor Demento (Rainn Wilson) and it proves to be a breakout hit; Al is a star! From there, the story really goes off the rails. Al rockets to stardom and, like most megastars, becomes self-destructive. He has a torrid affair with Madona (Evan Rachel Wood) that turns out badly.
Entirely unlike the real life of Weird Al Yankovic, this is hugely entertaining. The funny twist that Michael Jackson's Beat It was a parody of Al's first original song, Eat It, was hilarious. In this universe, Weird Al is the King of Cool. Many of his big hits make an appearance: My Bologna, Another One Rides the Bus, Amish Paradise, Eat It, Hey Ricky, Like a Surgeon, and more. The movie is also stuffed with cameos from such figures as Wolfman Jack, Pee Wee Herman, Elvira, Tiny Tim, Gallagher, Alice Cooper, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, and more. It is a great throwback to the early 80s. Ludicrous and off the wall, this is nonstop comedy.
Recommended. Great popcorn fun.
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